Introduced in 1961, the EB-3 was one of the bass guitar equivalents of the popular Gibson SG. It featured a slim SG-style body, a 30.5" scale, and two pickup (one large humbucking pickup in the neck position and one mini-humbucker pickup in the bridge position). The electronics consisted of a four-way switch and associated volume and tone knobs for each pickup. The standard finish was cherry red (like the SG guitar models), though EB-3s were also produced in other finishes such as Polaris White, Pelham Blue, and ebony.

The design of the bass guitar changed several times during the 1960s. In 1962, the black plastic cover on the neck pickup was replaced by a metal one. Around 1964/5, nickel plated hardware was replaced by chrome plated. Around 1966/7 the neck was replaced with a thinner one; the unadjustable bar bridge was replaced by a fully adjustable one with a nylon saddle for each string; the string guard was removed; a bridge guard was introduced and the knobs were replaced with the witch-hat design. In 1969 and 1970, the headstock was replaced with a slotted one(similar to those on most classical guitars), with tuning keys mounted at ninety degrees downwards behind the head. In the 1970s, the position of the pickups on the body was changed and moved closer to the bridge, and different materials were used for the body and the neck. In addition to the Gibson EB-3, a long-scale...Read More